Image Credit: Ben Andrew, RSPB Images
Congratulations, you’ve made it through one of the longest weeks of the year. But it’s nearly over AND it’s been another good week at RSPB Saltholme. There’s lots to tell you about, so we’ll get straight into it…read on for more!
News from the Estate:
With the new year starting to put down some roots, the Estates Team have begun the process of preparing for the rest of 2024. This week, this has included clearing a route for butterfly transects at Haverton. A ‘transect’ is a line across a section of land, allowing us to survey the species that live in that area. The Estates Team are clearing this transect now so, when the temperatures begin to rise (we’ll say that confidently so that it will definitely happen) and the butterflies begin to emerge, we’ll be ready to count them!
Wild Saltholme (the land we’re giving back to nature) also got some TLC this week, with the team removing tree guards from around the planted hedges. The hedgerows are growing well and so no longer need the protection from rabbits, deer and weather. They grow up so fast…
What’s On:
You may think January is the month where we put our feet up and save the event planning for when the weather is a bit better. You would be wrong. January may be cold, dark and faintly damp, but it’s a month that’s also full of promise for the year ahead. That’s especially true when Saltholme turns 15 this year!
We’re busy planning a fun-filled 15th Birthday bonanza for 2024. And festivities kick off on 21 January- exactly 15 years since we first opened our doors to the general public. Keep your eyes out for our SALTHOLME PASSPORT. This passport is free and includes 38 activities to complete throughout the year. When you complete 15 of these activities, you will receive a certificate. You will receive another certificate for completing 30 activities. These passports are for all ages, with a wide range of activities to suit everyone. So come along on 21 January and pick one up!
Recent Sightings:
Well, we’ve added a few species to our year list this week, taking our total up to 87 species. Here are some of the highlights…
Image Credit: RSPB
A Long-tailed Duck was seen at the Wildlife Watchpoint first thing on Friday morning. It then flew to Saltholme Pools, where it spent the morning happily entertaining birdwatchers.
Image Credit: Mike Langman, RSPB Images
Another bird that delighted visitors was the Egyptian Goose that spent Wednesday morning posing in front of the Visitor Centre on one of the tern islands. The striking markings on this goose make it immediately recognisable, making this another entry on the year list!
Image Credit: Katie Nethercoat, RSPB Images
When Wolsingham School’s Ornithology Club visited on Wednesday, it was fantastic that a Spoonbill, Peregrine Falcon and Kingfisher made an appearance to show them the breath of birdlife we have on our reserve. It was certainly a school trip to remember!
Image Credit: Tom Marshall, RSPB Images
The last bird we are going to mention today is the Turnstone that has spent the week at Saltholme Pools. These little waders are more commonly seen on the coast, chasing the tide in their search for invertebrates buried in the sand. It is unusual to see one this far inland, so it was a turn(stone) up for the books!
Last but certainly not least, we just have to mention a sighting that represents the first record of this species in the county. It’s not a bird (or a plane)…it’s a moth!
Image Credit: Ed Pritchard
And what an interesting moth it is! The larval form of Dahlica triquetrella was found in our Estates Compound at the very end of last week. The adult of this species is wingless, so doesn’t look like your stereotypical moth. What’s even more interesting is that this species is parthenogenetic, meaning the female can produce a fertile egg without any need for sperm. In fact, it is only ever the female of this species that has been found in the UK (males have been found on mainland Europe), so we know the larva we found will have been produced by parthenogenesis. How cool is that?!
Well, that’s all we have time for today. As usual, you can see that there is far more to Saltholme than (admittedly, very nice) tea and cake. Want to come along and see our wildlife for yourself? We hope to see you soon!
References and Additional Reading
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2024). Egyptian Goose [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/egyptian-goose [last accessed 12/01/2024].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2024). Kingfisher [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/kingfisher [last accessed 12/01/2024].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2024). Peregrine Falcon [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/peregrine-falcon [last accessed 12/01/2024].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2024). Spoonbill [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/spoonbill [last accessed 12/01/2024].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2024). Turnstone [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/turnstone [last accessed 12/01/2024].
UK Moths (2024). Dahlica triquetrella [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/dahlica-triquetrella/ [last accessed 12/01/2024].
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (2024). Long-tailed Duck [webpage]. Accessed through https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/long-tailed-duck [last accessed 12/01/2024].